Dark Angel High
by Replica Velocity a.k.a. X5 714
Summary: AU.15 year old Max and her friends have unique abilities, a secret they must keep that they don’t even know the answers to as much as the barcode on their necks. They must discover what they are, the secrets of the past and just who they can trust.
1. Outsiders

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel; it belongs to FOX who should give it to someone who would use it and James Cameron. I don't earn any money off this so don't sue me! This was inspired by Roswell though it takes no characters or story from it. Which was created by Melinda Metz and Jason Katim. AU obviously, set present time no pulse. Heat cycles will come into it later story time but as of yet no character has experienced them.

* * *

Prologue

'Brotherly Love'

* * *

"_Kelley, we have to hurry!"_

"_I know Dr Sandeman; I just wish we could take them all not just these few"._

"_I know, but we don't have time on our side, move or a few will be none at all"._

Logan tossed and turned in his sleep. Despite the cold of the room, his body had a fine sheen of sweat as if he were overheated. The seventeen year old boy's restless form kept twisting and turning.

_Lights flash over head and as he passed a mirror he saw a young woman with a tired face carrying a small baby who is looking straight at the mirror. His vision fades and it all goes dark._

His dark green eyes snapping open, Logan Cale looked at his watch hanging on a draw across the room. It was two in the morning. He reached over for his pants, scratching the back of his neck as he stood. The barcode was painless but somehow always drew his attention.

Logan was quick to pull on a shirt before he left his room. The last thing Logan needed was another conversation with the latest maid of the Cale household about his tattoo- though any real tattoo didn't come back after you removed it. Multiple times.

The maids tended to do their cleaning at night rather than inspire the wrath of his father. Daniel Cale believed staff shouldn't be seen cleaning in daylight. And who as usual was away on a business trip. But his father had been known the come back unplanned just for an excuse to fire somebody. Especially with the ongoing divorce with their mother- who had suddenly hadn't wanted anything to do with him, or her sons.

As Logan closed his bedroom door, he sighed and turned hearing the quiet noise of his younger brother sneaking in though the window. Zane Cale made no attempt to hide what he was doing. A year younger, he was as social and pleasure orientated as Logan was a computer whiz (or uber geek to Zane) trying not to be not to be noticed. "Was it Sienna or Kathleen?" Logan asked, resigned to his brother's antics as he closed the window and looked out at the grounds.

Zane smirked "They are old news, try Daniele"

"You could sneak in through the front, the maid is scared of Dad… she'd never check" Logan suggested locking the window. "What if somebody saw you make the three story jump, you know Zack has been looking for a reason to really give you his mind after the fight in school when you broke Rafer's arm" Zane made a face.

"Like what, be a good boy blah blah… danger, our abilities could be dangerous blah blah… I make the rules… Zack Dawson knows not a good time" Logan knew better than to comment. Zack made valid points for all of his paranoia- all four of them were adopted, he and Zane by the upper class Cale's and Zack and his younger sister by the Dawson's.

All four had spent most of their lives in the old town of Chesterfield in South Dakota. They all had what could only be classed as extraordinary mental and physical abilities… and a barcode on the back of their necks. They all got seizures that only a health food supplement could help and even then they went through rough patches. And they all had flashes of a dark cold place they couldn't quite remember. All they knew is they were different from everyone else and that it had to be kept a secret. Zane had been continuing his little rant as Logan had tuned him out. "All I know is Zack needs to get laid"

Even Logan couldn't keep a sarcastic tone out of his voice. "And that solves all problems"

"Hell yes" Zane nodded. " I know you're all bitter about it since that uptight Valerie cheated on you, but come on Logie" he mocked, a child name that their adopted mother and Val had called him. "We all have to move on, you can't stick your head in a computer all day, I mean as much as I like watching you squirm at Dad and Uncle Jonas's speeches about how being a computer geek is beneath you- you need a life, new girl come on what do you say" He slept perhaps two hours a night at the most, Zane had never needed much sleep a fact he flaunted in Logan's face as often as he could.

Logan smiled calmly. "I enjoy them too but not as much as the ones where, you have to start thinking with your upstairs brain- not behavior fitting for a Cale"

At that Zane flipped him the finger. "Read between the lines, read between those damn lines 'Eyes Only' " he said using his brother's hacking alias. At that the two brothers went in their own perspective rooms. Continuing the insults that none but the other could still hear.

* * *

Chapter One

Outsiders

* * *

There were a lot of times that Max Guevara was grateful for her mom, Hannah. One, for never naming her Maxine. Or for promising on her sixteenth birthday she could have her 'baby' the gorgeous motorcycle she had coveted since the tender age of six.

But moving her to some hick backwater town, quaint name Chesterfield-what the hell was up with that? She knew, yeah they moved around a lot to avoid whoever wanted her for whatever reasons. Max was a good kid, she played by 'the do not show off' rule most of the time but this was taking it too far.

She slunk further down in the front passenger seat, her dark hair sitting slightly up, her Hispanic features set in a frown glaring at Hannah, who had some sympathy but also some amusement- that traitor! "It's not going to be that bad Maxie"

"Not that bad, this is Hicksville I'd be surprised if they all didn't tune into folk songs and ride around with shot guns"

Hannah just shook her head laughing. "You do realize labeling all your classmates as hicks before you meet them won't help"

"Not just hicks" Max smirked, a playful look in her dark eyes. "Hillbillies as well, come on Mom what do I have to do for us to move again- like now- bet none of this kids know what a decent gauge was if it-"

"_Max_" Damn, Hannah looked really mad now. She hadn't meant to do that. Max sometimes pushed things too far- and she knew that her mom had spent a long time looking for a place where she could work good hours and still be there for her.

Max sighed. "Sorry Mom, I just don't like the place that much it reminds me too much of the kind of area from my dreams sometimes- I know don't mention anything that I'm not supposed to in front of the- other kids"

"Play nice" Hannah warned, but the wrinkles around her eyes betrayed her good humor. A health care nurse, Hannah had been there for Max her entire life. Whatever Max had come from Hannah had been about to become a part of it when a man had stepped in- seeing her mom was such a good person. And apparently good people didn't last long in that place.

She had to be a good person to take a baby, raise it as her own. Hannah leaned over and pecked Max on the cheek a rarity, Max hated public affection like that and Hannah normally respected Max's wishes. Max groaned but it was half hearted. She grabbed her bag, and got out of the car slinging it over a shoulder and putting her cap on, backwards as usual. Her mother waved good bye and drove off. She was probably afraid Max would change her mind about cooperating.

Max took her first real look at the school. It looked really new as if it was a new version of an old high school that had been falling down, and as her eyes fastened on the plaque which said exactly how long the old one had stood before. Max quirked her lips. Exactly as she'd predicted and she looked at the other students spread out… one she could even hear discussing some kind of rodeo festival.

She didn't need to pull out her new class schedule that her mother had gotten from the school, one glance and she could throw that in the trash. And Max walked, planning on putting her bag in her new locker and then whatever as long as she didn't have to play nice with the other kids… there seemed to be no one here even remotely interesting… and Max did not want to get pulled into any hayrides.

She frowned as she heard arguing. Max looked up as a dark skinned girl around her age and dressed for a lack of better words city street smarts was yelling at a departing blonde cheerleader figure.

"You better not come and tell Original Cindy what to wear Barlowe" The girl was yelling as whoever the cheerleader was turned the corner.

"Cause I could show some moves that would have you on the floor so fast you wouldn't know what hit ya" The girl looked at Max who found herself grinning despite herself, and the dark skinned girl smiled. "You must be new to this hell hole, I'm Original Cindy McEachin and OC's been here since her momma sent her to live here on account of the bad action in my neighborhood- Seattle"

Smiling, Max nodded. "I've lived in Seattle, just did Max Guevara"

OC grinned "Is that delivery boy Sketchy still getting kids to do runs for him?" Max nodded- correction there was perhaps one person she could stand here. "Well don't worry bout the whole new school cause OC's gonna take care of you boo"

"Uh- I'm straight" OC grinned, she looked amused.

"Of course you are, all the good ones are, nah boo just means home girl" Max nodded, about to ask her new friend about the cheerleader when someone bumped into her, and Max turned and glared at the guy.

"Watch it!" Max snapped.

Whoever the guy was, her was obviously a senior, had a strong jaw line and what looked like what her best friend from her last school –Lucy would call a rip body, square jaw, blonde not long but not too short hair, and a cold blue for eyes. The kind that it doesn't matter if you'd dressed in near all black. You looked good enough that nobody would call you gothic.

Standing slightly behind him was a guy around the same age. Max had seen enough rich kids in her life to know that was what he was. And the laptop bag slung around his body, his hair cut and the fashion decision white button up shirt under his dark brown leather jacket meant he was probably a geek- but a cute for a geek. Much more than cute.

The rude guy glared. "Don't take up the hallway then" Original Cindy looked at him with disdain and rolled her eyes.

"You could walk around Dawson, Original Cindy don't see your name on this hall, no she does not- and be nice to new kids, they'll vote for you come homecoming" The guy was already walking away by now with his friend following, as if it wasn't worth his time to socialize. His friend mouthed sorry as they left. "Now that three legged jerk was Zack Dawson, he's a brick wall"

Max frowned. "Who was the other one?"

"Logan Cale, bit of a four eyes without the glasses but- oh Original Cindy gets it"

"Stop it" Max said, no matter how cute or considerate a guy was, geek or not- it didn't explain his taste in friends which was obviously questionable.

* * *

Logan had noticed the new girl the second he had walked around the corner- and had tried not to let it show, at least to keep her from figuring out. As soon as they were down the disused hallway towards the study rooms Zack started in on him. "Great- you have another crush, on yet another freshman… we don't have time for this, any stuff like this- not with that new teacher transferring in today- the one whose background was faked"

Sighing, Logan nodded. "I know Zack" How could he forget, the new biology teacher Adrianna Vertes? Now ever since Zack had known what checking out a situation was he had- people the works- paranoid had no meaning when it came to Zack.

"We have no idea where this teacher came from, and that says we need to be careful which means no new people in our lives" Logan knew better than to do anything but nod and agree otherwise he'd spend the next ten minutes listening to a Zack lecture.

Zack opened the study room door and frowned when he didn't see anyone in it. "Zane and Rae were supposed to be here" A clattering noise came from the hallway and Zane was walking trying to look apologetic and Rae was a few steps ahead of him. He was dressed in the opposite degree to her plain over large red top and jeans, sneakers- he had glasses on his head, and an outfit that wouldn't have looked out of place on a New York male model.

"Sorry Zack, I had to work on that project this morning- Elise Wildeman called early and told me she had done nearly none of her half of the project, and she was the one who insisted we do our parts separately"

At this Zack nodded, accepting his little sister's excuse and turned to Zane. "And yours?"

"Dad called, after Logan left the house" Zane said with narrowed eyes. "Wanted to check on us- I mean the divorce is dragging out-yeah she signed an agreement doesn't mean the process is not getting dragged out"

Zack frowned as the entered the study room. "Your dad still going for sole custody"

"Yep" Zane said. "Mother just wants a few weeks in summer" he sounded slightly bitter about it too, although he often said he didn't give a damn. The divorce had hit them from out of the blue- and for Zane- dealing meant an ongoing tactic of ignoring the problem till it went away.

Logan was setting up his laptop. His fingers flew over the keyboard, and Rae sat across the round table from him. She was gangly and all jutting limbs, her light green eyes different from his grey green. She was halfway in that realm of young pretty and actually looking good- as most people were at the age of fourteen. Zane had dark hair and the blue forget me not eyes, what the girls made fanning motions over that made his dating such a wide selection despite a poor track record.

Their looks something else that drew their confusion. The no pimples, or bad skin everything in perfect symmetry- like they were perfect or something. Now most teens would be over the moon to not have to worry about their appearance like that but it was just another Twilight Zone moment for them. Out of a long list of those type of moments. Zack would have been happy looking like the guy people turned away from because he was horrible to look at- he didn't like being stared at by girls, or any of the attention it brought. The only reason he was quarterback was because otherwise he knew his parents would have freaked if he didn't try to be even a little sociable. That and it was the only school activity had an apprieciation for.

Zack screwed up school deliberately, Zane did the necessary requirements to pass all and that was it, Logan's only sporting activity was basketball and golf when his father dragged them to the course and Rae faked a weakness in anything physical. It all came back to not appearing perfect, they needed to blend in. The flashes they got of something they couldn't quite remember told them that. That being perfect was too dangerous.

"You should look at this" Logan said frowning and the others looked from behind. "Ms Vertes has managed to get almost every student in one of her classes"

"So?" Rae asked. "This town is small enough; there are only almost two hundred kids at this high school- it's not all that abnormal"

Zack frowned at his sister and she was quiet. "Yes, but she requested it, temporary stint as a sub for a period of a week, and our old teacher Ferguson"

"Mr. Frog… ribbit…" Zane started to make croaking sounds, managing to elicit a groan from Logan and a punched shoulder from Zack.

"Now usually he handles all the school's science classes, he was given a mid term new trial teaching post at the exact private school two towns over that he's always wanted, staring next school year- and whose own teacher went missing two weeks ago the exact time Vertes entered the system. Vertes is here for just enough time to be able to check every student in this school out, it's hardly coincidence"

Zane and Rae looked at each other and rolled their eyes. They had known each other for so long and all four of the felt that the others were family, a bond they had felt from the moment of meeting. And having two serious brothers didn't hurt the relationship.

"Check out the new girl" Zack said and Zane frowned as Logan made sure he kept his eyes glued to his screen.

"What new girl?"

Zack looked annoyed. "The one Logan seemed to have an infatuation with" So much for sensitivity- or it could be said that Zack just didn't care about being tactful. Zane had a demonic look on his face.

Logan cut him off. "I do not, I saw her for all of thirty seconds, and while yes I do have testosterone, Zane I am not going to size up my prospects for a girl I've barely met" Zane made a cough that sound suspiciously like Valerie. Val was a freshman and not only had cheated on Logan with his former best friend and basketball teammate but had frequently been caught on school grounds drunk or in possession of alcohol. And a major sore point as Logan had been naïve to everything until right near the end of it. Logan sent a look to his brother, that if looks could kill Zane would be dead thrice over.

The screen changed and Rae leaned over, her brown hair bruising Logan's face. "Max Guevara- I wonder if Max is short for Maxine?" Zack pulled her back, not roughly by the collar. Zane snickered.

"Having the name Maxine is better than color coding your class work"

She narrowed her eyes. "At least my weird habit involves being perfect about academics- I like my class work it always makes sense"

Zack narrowed his, why couldn't anyone ever stay on topic; they had more than enough problems. They had shut up at least, the moment they had seen him get angry. It had always felt natural for Zack to take the lead, to take command. "If you two are done, she seems fine on the surface but we need to check out her background which means there is no time for any involvement with her- besides we have a task right now".

Still half chuckling Zane thumped Logan on the back. "Come on Eyes Only, gym class!" Even though he was a year younger than Logan because of the size of the classes the five gym classes were made up of all the years because of class schedules.

Logan frowned as he closed the laptop. "Is it entirely necessary to torture me anymore than you already are?"

"Hell yes" At this Zack looked heavenward. Didn't matter what those pair could do, he was surrounded by idiots.

* * *

Max Guevara was grateful that O.C had gym at the same time as she did, otherwise this would be a really bad hour. Gym had to be the class most voted as 'wish it would take a flying leap'. For one all female gym teachers and this one was no exception seemed to share the same bad temperament.

Standing before the students Ms Miller held up the ball and almost everybody groaned. "We are doing Volleyball today- and I don't want to hear the line 'my doctor thinks its bad for me' unless you have a note and don't think one from you won't go unnoticed you will be playing"

OC inclined a middle finger with her crossed arms at the same time Max did and they tapped each others fists, Max making sure not to be anything but soft. She was stronger than other people- and being over enthused could get someone hurt. As everyone disappeared she saw a miserable Logan Cale and a guy who was clearly enjoying tormenting him. "Who's that next to Logan?" she asked, nonchalant.

"That is his brotha Zane, a truly dirt member of the three legged species" OC said with a curl in her lip. "Sleeps with everyone and thinks they're lucky to have him"

Max frowned, they looked nothing alike. Zane had dark hair, the whole dark look thing but it wasn't doing what Logan was to her. Damn it, Max thought standing on the court helping OC set up the net looking away. He wasn't even her type. Besides, she'd have to put up with that jerk he had been with- the inconsiderate one of the pair.

"I didn't know you cared OC" Zane had come up behind them and was smirking. "I don't think they are lucky… I know they are"

His brother walked past Max and Logan looked annoyed. He gave a weak smile to Max. "Sorry about that, he is not house trained yet, I'm Logan"

"Max" she replied. "If you don't mind me asking, you and your 'brother' don't look very much alike"

"We are adopted" Logan and Zane said at the same time. It was really a habit for them to do that, it was quick, and saved time. Not to mention that they were also very good at anticipating each other. Zane made a show of setting up the heavy pole that Max had just been about to pretend having trouble with which made O.C start off on him again, leaving Max standing with Logan.

Max looked at him. "So the guy you were with this morning, is he always such a nice guy?" At that line Logan cracked a smile, clearly not taking offence.

" Sometimes, he's even better at being, well Zack- it's not personal- he is just never going to be the most social person in the world" Logan chuckled. "He's just lucky that he is quarterback and has the mass to back it up otherwise people might start to insult him back more, not that most of the time he wouldn't deserve it"

Max smiled. "Are you best friends or something?"

"He's like a second brother, one that doesn't torment me so much"

Overhearing Zane preened as he put an arm around Logan and punched him in the shoulder. "Someone has to do it, and why not his little brother, I'm a junior so Logan and OC against you and me… that way it's fair"

They broke off the conversation and Max stood next to Zane, and she noticed the color slight variation on the back of his neck from some sort of concealer make up- pretty boy wore make up. She would tell O.C later, she'd get a kick out of it.

It was pretty evenly matched, although she could tell that both Logan and Zane were holding back, Logan more than Zane. She was holding back but just so she could slam a victory at the end- Max didn't like to lose... especially at something like a sport you played in Gym that you got nothing out of.

Then Max began stepping up her game and Zane flashed an impressed smile as he did the same. He liked to win- good so did he. She slammed the ball over the net and Logan seemed to spring into action, and by the looks on OC and Zane's faces it was rare to see him do anything sport like. Max felt amazing like she could truly play as well as she could. That was really rare.

She was so caught up in matching Logan that she didn't notice one of the juniors, Presby who couldn't hit straight if his life was in mortal danger and it was the last thing that could save him. Presby hit a ball in her direction and it slammed into her middle. It stung for a second and she crouched down, her hair slipping down and Zane caught a look at the back of her neck seeing the barcode.

"You okay?" asked Logan coming around as Max stood, sounding subdued as he shared a glance with Zane who looked taken aback.

"Yeah" Max said and the whistle from the teacher went. They all left the courts and as they listened to her rant about the lack of enthusiasm, Max wondered why Logan was now looking at her like she was something different than ten minutes ago.

In the boy locker room as Logan showered Zane jimmied the door open and poked his head in. "Get out" Logan said, angrily. "You may have privacy issues but I don't"

Zane stood just outside the door. "Logan, you saw it, and how she played- I think she's like us" Logan pulled a towel around him and opened the door, not amused as he grabbed his clothes. "Doesn't this mean anything to you?"

Logan turned to him as he pulled his shirt on. "Yes it does" he muttered as some of the other guys went to shower. " But I'm not exactly going on about it- we can't let anybody think we are different and this conversation could give them a big clue " Zane waited until he was dressed to keep going, as they walked out.

"She has a barcode like us Logan, she has to be and you are like who cares" Zane paused as Max had been talking to O.C and had been looking at them, a frown crossing her face- if she was she could hear just like the. She turned and ran out despite the calls of her friend.

* * *

Finally stopping near the high school football field Max felt her heart still in her throat. This wasn't the first time she had run across someone like like her- two years ago she had met Ben. Max's stomach tightened as she thought about it. She had felt an instant connection to him and he had to her. She had always felt alone, and when she had met him it had been like she was finally with someone who understood her- apart from her mother but that wasn't the same.

Ben had the same abilities, the gifts and even a 'barcode'. For a few glorious months it had been like she was complete- with this slight off feeling about Ben. Then she had found out why- local religious disappearances- they were because of Ben, he had killed them for some saint he had made up – called the Blue Lady.

She never hated him for it- especially when Ben had said how he gained his faith. When he was younger the man, the dangerous one from Max's dreams had taken him somewhere horrible. A man called 'Sandeman' had saved him after a few weeks. But when she had heard him speak, Max knew whoever that guy had been, he hadn't saved Ben. The damage had already been done.

Pulling out her cellphone, Max called her mother. After five minutes she rang back. "Max, what is it honey, you know this isn't meant to be on in the hospital"

"Mom, there are kids like me here- like Ben"

She could practically hear a pin drop on the other end- not that she couldn't hear it with a crowd going. "Like they kill people?"

"No, Mom" Max said. "They are like me- come on say something such as we have to go under the cover of night or something"

"Tell me everything" Her mother sighed after a moment and Max just knew the answer was no. "Unless they do something stupid, we will wait a few months, and if it's really that big a problem we'll leave earlier than then. Max can't just leave as soon as we get here, people will ask why- these peers of yours are smart enough to keep themselves a secret- Ben wasn't sane enough- it won't be that big a problem, I'm asking you to be an adult for a moment Maxie okay?"

Waiting a long moment to reply Max sighed. "Fine…but I'm going to do that typical teenage thing- whine, angst driven arguments in retaliation"

Hannah laughed. "All right honey- but you never know you could like them"

Max snorted. As if!

* * *

Just staring at the serious expression of Zack and his narrowing eyes- Logan, Zane and Rae looked at each other and then away. There were in the cafeteria sitting down. Logan swallowed, it was almost worse Zack not yelling at them for talking in public and using the word 'barcode' for him to get this serious.

Both Zane and Rae were in bad moods now- Zane because he was supposed to be having lunch fun with his new brunette and Rae because she had the whole philosophy of having some 'normal' people in her life. Or in truth those who couldn't use the 'but I'm older' card.

She broke the silence first. "Come on Zack- do we have to be here the entire of lunch to hear you say what you expect us to do?" she didn't speak hysterically, but quite seriously- heaven forbid she should throw a fit at anyone.

"No" Zack said finally, seeming to have made them wait an extra few minutes because he could. "For now we say nothing to Guevera, we look into it and in a few days when we know she's is genuine"

Logan felt his heart sink, it was strange he wanted to talk to Max with a desire that he had never had before. He had to know her… she was one of them "We can't do that" he said almost inaudible. Both his brother and 'sister' gawked at him. They were shocked he was going up against big brother Zack. No matter what Zane might say, he more often than not towed the line. Even Logan was kind of shocked by what had come out of his mouth.

Zack didn't look fazed but inside he was. And there was no way he was letting Logan get the last word in here. He knew he was doing the right thing and damn if Logan should disagree. " It's called being cautious Logan and not throwing ourselves off a cliff without helping it- and this is the last word I'm going say on the topic"

Frustration filled him. "You can't tell me what I can or can't do"

* * *

Later towards the end of lunch with perhaps ten minutes to spare. Rae was walking with her close friend Piper Cameron when she saw Logan standing near her locker. She waved goodbye to her friend. Rae opened her locker and then looked at him. "Zack won didn't he?"

"You and Zane did not even stick around"

Rae inclined at eyebrow and laughed. "To get drawn into an argument with you two, no, besides, Zane is like some sort of cat, in heat 24/7- I'll make it up to you for leaving…"

He frowned. "If you want to make up with me you have biology next"

Pausing for a moment to take out a textbook, she nodded. "Yes, last class, advanced track, with our mysterious Ms Vertes you guys already had your class and Zack said you guys just got tests, you want me to come over to discuss everything that happened, Zack's already arranged that for five o clock all of us but if you want to me to come earlier…"

"Max is in that class I checked; you can ask her for me to meet me in the theatre room after class"

She closed her locker hard, and Logan waited for her to turn him down. Instead Rae crossed her arms. "You really think she is okay?"

Logan nodded. "I do"

"Then I'll do it" Rae frowned. "I don't know her, I have only seen her in passing, and I'm used to going with what Zack says. But even if I don't know if I can trust her you do, and I will just trust your judgment for now and I hope that it turns out okay –if only to keep Zack from killing us both"

Entering the classroom Max looked around, and only one student was in the room. "Max Guevera" said Rae looking up. "I'm Rae Dawson"

Max groaned, and strode up to her. " Listen, I don't care that you probably are what your brother is that, you four in your little gang are just like me- I really don't give a damn, you all stay away from me, and I will you- we'll all be happy"

"What is your problem" Rae asked crossing arms, eyes flashing. "I am just asking for you to listen to me- Logan wants to talk to you, after school in the theatre"

Sitting on top of the desk in front of Rae, Max shrugged. "Whatever, fine"

There was a silence between them for a moment that seemed to burn until Rae looked up a question in her mind blurted out. "I am sorry, but do you know anything about what you are we are?" That threw Max, Ben had been confident, known answers that Max hadn't- known things she hadn't and still didn't know.

" Your four all know each other, what you are and you don't know anything"" Max watched as the other girl shook her head, that threw Max and she uncrossed her arms. Fifteen years and Max didn't know everything… "I know we are special" Max said quietly. "That we were taken from a bad place for the chance of real lives- that there are bad people after us and if they ever found us we would be screwed and I know that some guy called Sandeman is looking out for us"

Rae wanted to seize on the Sandeman line, but reality struck her. Max didn't know about Vertes "Bad people- wait we think, Zack, Logan, Zane and I that the substitute biology teacher, the one for this class is one of them" Looking surprised Max went to answer her when they both heard footsteps coming from down the hallway towards the class room and the door behind the teachers desk opened and Adrianna Vertes stepped out.

Max's first impression as of someone who seriously needed to turn up the heat, fair hair, skin and cold brown eyes and what seemed to be a permanent frown. Formally dressed under the lab coat Vertes looked up at them and Max got off the desk walking to sit next to Rae. "Aren't you two enthusiastic" Vertes's voice was calculated and the two girls looked at each other.

" Oh yeah" Max quipped as other kids filtered in. "Just gotta love that learning" she looked down and pulled her junk out of her bag including a cherry lip gloss, and slowly put the gloss on. Vertes curled her lip and a boy sat next to Rae, had a shirt with 'Beam me up Scotty' across the front, with a picture of a Star Trek character and a signature. Max rolled her eyes. "Beam me up to get me out of this" she muttered barely audible over the others teenagers and Rae turned and glared- Max just smiled, got to love that super hearing.

Vertes handed out tests, and Max just gave Rae a ' are you serious' expression as she turned to it- this woman was dangerous because she had given them a test? Just deliberately get a few answers wrong should do the trick.

* * *

Logan had been sitting on the steps of the theatre when Max walked in, the class had been the test- all session. And Vertes had walked straight out with the tests afterwards. "You look surprised, I know I'm late but you expected me the bolt like a scared little bunny"

Logan spoke honestly "Kind of- and I wouldn't have blamed you"

Max rolled her eyes walking down to his step. "How kind" she said and smiled. "I was late getting this" she passed him a file. " It's from Vertes's office photocopied- Rae and I found a list of every student in this high school basic stats notes- nothing raised about us, looks like just looking for now"

He nodded. "We think she is here just to get things together before the real problem shows itself- you could come with me to my place, the others are going to be there"

"Next time" Max said. "From what I hear you broke the rules, talking to me against big brother Zack- you will need time to explain yourself" Logan sighed, and then Max spoke again. "I like that you did" she smiled widely and bumped his shoulder and he smiled.

Logan stood up. "I guess this makes us brother and sister"

Max didn't know why, but she felt almost disappointed. "Guess so"

* * *

Opening the car door of her black sedan, Dr Adrianna Vertes looked over Chesterfield High School. She sneered and got into her car just as the cell in her pocket rang and she closed the car door, as she flipped the cell open.

"Dr Vertes" The voice over the phone was cold, Max and the other others might think Vertes was calculated but compared to the man on the phone she wasn't.

"Colonel Lydecker" Dr Vertes said coolly.

"What is situation status?"

"I still need to go through these reports, school records, and the test, but I should be done in five days and I will send you the report. If I may ask who you are sending?"

"Myself, I will handle this matter personally" Vertes hid her shock; she had expected him to say Agent Sandoval or Finch not himself.

"Yes sir"

* * *

Colonel Donald Lydecker hung up. Ever since Sandeman after a bout of a conscience had taken those transgenics away from him that unit of would be soldiers he had been searching. Every time he came close the trail would go cold. The closet he had come to was Ben/493 and he had not even been able to return him to Manticore. And then there was- no he had not found anything in Los Angeles. Just a girl… a very special girl.

But it was different this time. It wasn't the clues, the details and the various indicators that told him, it was the feeling that he was close. He was close to reclaiming his kids to their rightful lives- as soldiers. His soldiers.

To become the soldiers they were designed to be, the perfect soldiers that he wanted. And this time he refused to leave empty handed, Lydecker would find them. No matter how long it took or how far he had to go to accomplish this objective…

He would find them.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Okay not much to say… please read and review… Lydecker emerges much bigger next chapter… this was more of an introduction…

Character Cast- John Savage (Colonel Lydecker) A Young Jessica Alba (Max Guevera), A Young Michael Weatherly (Logan Cale), A Young William Gregory Lee (Zack Dawson), A Young Jake Gyllenhaal (Zane Cale), A Young Milla Jovovich (Rae Dawson), Eileen Pedde (Hannah Guevera/Sukova) and Mark Harmon (Dr Sandeman)

-Allison Lightning 1/6/08


	2. The Nightmare Man

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel and don't make any money off it. So don't sue me.

* * *

Chapter 2-

**The Nightmare Man**

* * *

_**Four days ago**_

The Cale property was by far one of the most ostentatious, egotistical places Max Guevera had ever seen. For one, it was sitting on a large chunk of land, that all seemed to be perfectly maintained- fountains and the garden that looked like it was out of the gardening section of the local newspaper on celebrity gardens. And then there was the foot of the driveway where any poor sap who wanted in, had to use an intercom just to walk up the driveway.

Logan had warned her how it looked and how his father liked things like this- Max had thought he was exaggerating but she should have known better, he wasn't the type to exaggerate. Logan was just straight up, honest and never exaggerating just empathetic with what he said. The poster boy for the male version of Miss Congeniality. Damn, his dad had to have huge compensation issues to want to live in a place like this.

When Max reached the front door, the maid- an actual maid was opening the door for her. Having to stop herself from laughing she walked in.

"Masters Logan and Zane are with their other friends in their wing" the maid said pointing the direction- stopping Max from staring too long at the marble staircase in this entrance hall. It was complete with interior decorating and the floors she was sure you could use socks to slide on- and Max made a note to do exactly that at some future time.

The maid walked in front of her and Max felt like she was in some strange parallel universe. It made sense with what Zane wore and the computer technology that Logan had access to- but neither Logan or Zane had acted like rich kids- rich teenagers were spoilt brats generally. Arrogant- but not these two. To them it was just another fact of life, like 'oh you have brown eyes'. It was personally the only thing that kept her from shoving something sharp and pointy into someone at this moment.

When the maid had left her in the brother's 'wing' Max had felt more at home, for one there was none of the artwork lining the walls, a poster here and there, or some chart about some conspiracy including to her amusement- UFOs.

As Max walled towards the sound of talking, she could hear Zane running a conversation about his date from a few nights ago including the part where he had found the altar she had dedicated to Jensen Ackles- including but not exclusive to a detailed plan for kidnapping him, then becoming Mrs. Jensen Ackles. As if the altar was not scary enough. Maybe it would not be so torturous.

Then Max walked into the room and it became clear that Zane had been the only one speaking trying to break the ice. The room was an oversized version of a rec room, and there was table with a pitcher of soda that no one had drunk. The room despite its size felt very small. Zane flashed one of his melting smiles on her; he had been sitting on a beanbag in front of plasma TV playing Devil May Cry 3. "Hey Max, just what we need to break the ice" Rae was sitting next to him just focusing on some text book Max knew had been assigned as class reading and not turning to look at Max.

Logan had flashed a weak smile from where he was sitting across the 'Lord of Bad Temper' a.k.a. Zack, who did not seem pleased by her arrival. Well he had been the one to leave the bizarre almost like an order message on her home answering machine. His expression was tense, and Max smirked. "Hey, you know your face will set that way right?" she said with a mocking lilt to her voice.

That did it, eliciting a reaction by his expression changing to a scowl. "This may be all some joke to you Guevera but some people take their lives seriously"

"I take my life very seriously" Max said smirking. "I just don't think you should be such a jerk- I mean it can't be very 'fitting in' now can it?"

"Max" Zack warned.

"Come on you didn't want to include me in your little group, now you tell me to play nice"

Zack sighed and decided to change tact. He needed to get Max to understand, and somehow get this situation under control. She seemed like a loose canon half the time. Since electro shock treatment for her was out of the question it was time to try that 'talking' thing.

"Listen Max I never claim to be the most social person, and with how different we are from other people, you can see how hard it is to trust others… but you are like us which makes you one of us and that is what it is"

It wasn't exactly an apology but Max realized that it was the best she was going to get from Zack. A round about way of saying I can tolerate you. She shrugged and sat across from him next to Logan. The tension left the room or at least the part related to Max- Logan knew he was going to hear about going over Zack for next three months- and that it would be smart to agree with him a lot now- then Zack would drop it.

Relieved, Zack pulled over the laptop that was in front of Logan, and switched it on. "We are screwed" Zane said. "It's gonna be all work and no pleasure now- Max you should have said you want nothing to do with us- don't we have to acquaint her with us first" At this Zack sent Zane a dark look to which in response Zane smirked and rested his middle finger on his face.

"Logan did that yesterday, remember" Rae said turning so she was facing the table and repositioning her headband, her eyes seemingly glued to the book. At that Zane who had gotten up to lean against the wall just shook his head and was refocused on his brother. Zane mouthed something about Logan's imminent demise.

"Yes" Zack said with a meaningful 'I'll get you later' look at Logan. It was clear to Max that she was not going to held accountable for how this all happened but Logan would be- that was life she certainly didn't want to argue with Zack for as long as high school was- or the rest of the school year since he was a senior.

Especially after Hannah had found out the whole story- she was determined to keep them here so Max could be with kids like her. Max thought her mother had smoked the 'peace pipe' a few too many times in her youth. "But we have bigger issues than not being able to follow simple instructions- Vertes's tests are troubling enough they are clearly designed to gauge intelligence and some of the questions we deliberately answered wrong that needed working out- were a trap"

Logan decided to speak into the conversation. "If you get it wrong in a certain way from your working out, it's possible to tell it was deliberate, it's a logic trap, something both Zack and Zane did- you didn't Max"

On that note Max just leaned back in her chair, clearly enjoying herself. "That's because I am the master at this game and you are mere beginners"

Zane flashed an amused smile. "Oh teach me oh wise Sensei Guevera"

"She had to be a smart mouth just like Zane" Rae rolled her eyes. "Terrific- they will start trading old dating horror stories next"

Both Zane and Max at that exchanged mischievous looks and looked ten seconds from doing just that.

Unfortunately then Zack ended the fun. "Are you all two years old- there is a person at our school who went to a lot of trouble just to give us some tests and who knows what else and you are all acting like you aren't different. We are different which means we don't have time for this"

"Kill joy" muttered Max. Zack chose to ignore the comment and she looked at Logan. "What about you and her" she said pointing to the only other girl in the room as Rae looked up startled.

Zane smirked. "They are geeks. They had to get it all right"

* * *

_**And Now…**_

* * *

She was in love. Max Guevera had found the small motorcycle display shop, in what was the town's shopping district and she walking in staring at the Ninja. It was fate. It was even black. The motorcycle was calling out to her very soul, she knew it.

"What are you doing" The voice laced with judgmental tones made Max turn around and sneer at Zack.

"Looking at the extension of my soul Zack" She looked through the shop window and saw Logan crossing the street. It was too bad Zack had followed her. She had been planning to do this with O.C who had been stuck at home by her grandparents for seeing her out of juvenile detention in again girlfriend Yvonne 'Diamond' Bennet. Her grandparents unlike most people that old, didn't mind she was gay- they just minded her being with Diamond. Max somehow didn't blame them although she minded being stuck with Zack for this trip. Logan just had to find something he was 'supposed' to do, traitor.

Max liked Logan- he was more than okay, not that she would admit it to anything else, Zane was a laugh riot and the studious Rae was at least fun conversation. Not Zack. Mr. Alpha male who had to get his way- too bad Max was going to change all that. Privately she didn't know why he didn't just join the army out of high school- to which when she voiced it Zack had said in his most annoying 'I'm right, end discussion' tone that the military was not laying low. That might be true but she suspected it had more to do with it being one of those unspoken group creep outs. Along with hospitals, it was just something about that damn antiseptic smell that came with them.

"A motorcycle is the extension of your soul" Zack said, clearly disgusted. "Now how come that doesn't surprise me?"

Max smirked. "You can't speak, the all American, Chesterfield high quarterback, for team and school" There was a spark of anger in his eyes as Zack fought hard not to respond, after years of the others always, always doing what was smart, she comes along and all of a sudden the carefully built chain of command/Zack comes down.

He admired her for her independence of character, but he certainly wasn't going to tell her. But that independence was not constructive when it was getting in the way.

The door buzzed and the display shop owner's scowl seemed to deepen. He hated kids walking through his store, they certainly never bought anything. They just touched things, leaving little dirty filthy handprints over everything.

Logan's face was white and he looked at them both. "I think you have to see this" he said seriously.

A few minutes later they were near the local coffee house run by Petra Mazolli, a woman famous in town for divorcing her husband and cleaning him out after he cheated on her with their babysitter. "What about this is so important-" Max asked, mock innocently and then gave a satisfied smile as Zack gave her a look to try to shut her up. They were in the book store on the opposite side of the street.

Logan frowned. "Left far corner of the store with Ms Vertes" his voice was tense and was that a note of fear? They all focused and then saw. Zack went dead still and Max's heart skipped several beats. Not funny anymore.

_We all see a common man in our dreams- these memories from a time when we were too young to remember properly. He is a cold man, solid features, a military walk about him and eyes the shade of ice blue that freezes your insides and makes you want to crawl in a corner. We all have different names for him but the name fits the best, the one only Zack's sister uses, the one I think we all use privately- The Nightmare Man. Sounds corny right, something out of a horror movie. The bad B grade that everyone spoke about afterwards, demanding those hours of their lives back. Well I have watched the Freddy Krueger series and not even flinched at the age of seven but one nightmare of this man and the little sleep I do need I avoid for weeks. He's the one who took Ben to that bad place, a time that Ben could only remember little flashes because it had been that traumatic._

The Nightmare man sat next to Vertes, and seemed to be in an intense discussion, his face betraying no humanity at all. As cold as the nightmares and worse. And Vertes seemed to be uncomfortable… and Max couldn't blame her- she would be screaming.

She could barely breathe for a moment and Max struggled to focus on what was happening. Zack pulled both Logan and Max by the collar. "We have to go now- we go home, we act like normal teenagers would" He said as they exited at the back of the store and he took off, his entire form set.

"But we are normal teenagers" Max quipped but it fell flat even to her own ears.

Logan looked at her. "I guess we can say Ms Vertes is more than she appears"

"Understatement of the year" Max said sarcastically. But inside she was terrified, this inner feeling told her to bolt and never come back. "So we go home now and play good little soldiers for Zack" The words felt bad.

"This once, you should. This is serious we have a real problem on our hands…"

Max shrugged. "Okay I got it the first time, be a good little soldier girl for Zack"

Logan looked at her. "Max, be careful" he called as she walked off. She merely extended a hand in the air shaking it to show him she understood. Logan felt the pleasure of the last day of the weekend drain from him. It all felt wrong now.

* * *

The pause in the conversation when the waitress poured the coffee was the only reprieve Vertes felt. She had been, no less surprised by the speed of everything being set up. But then it had been well known Lydecker's patience in this matter becoming ever more frayed as time went on. There had been scattered incidents, a tissue with X5 blood on it, reports of kids with seemingly superhuman powers, little incidents but never concentrated like they were here in Chesterfield.

It was the best lead in seven years. And even if there were other classes of X5, other units to train and use- it was no great Manticore secret that the unit taken were designed to be the best. The flag unit, the crème of the crop… was taken away, spirited away in the middle of the night. And Colonel Lydecker's personal favorite. While as the commander of Manticore directly and of all transgenic units, this had been the unit from conception to realization that he had been involved in.

The one he had begun and would take control of all training matters with concerning to. And just as soon as all the X5 were fully realized they had been taken. And the Committee afforded Lydecker great powers to get them back. Man effort, budgetary, no expense was spared. Lydecker was to the Committee, what back biting ladder climbers like Eliza Renfro could never be. A real commander, a real leader, which commanded respect and fear all in the same breath. One who ensured a level of success undreamed of. Someone they could not duplicate or replace. The Committee rewarded loyalty.

Manticore, his career, these missing 'kids' as he sometimes called all the transgenics under his command, were his life. Even Vertes herself with a mortgage, and a child that the day care staff and her former fiancé that spent more time with than her. Even she had more to her life than genetics and her time spent on base.

"There are no names" Vertes said, collected as the waitress moved out of earshot. " Although the grade point average of many of these students leaves much to be desired, many teenagers deliberately fail tests in order to not seem to be 'un-cool" " Her nose wrinkled slightly, Lydecker if he felt disdain he did not show it. "There are some with an excellent grade point average, honor roll, AP classes but even in such a small school trying to single out a single or several performing students will be hard"

Lydecker regarded the list. "A starting point, is the arrangements in place"

Vertes reached to another file. "All the paperwork has been arranged and entered into the system- not that a 'town' such as this pays much regard for - X4 141 is clearing it as we speak"

* * *

Hearing the door close quietly from the other end of the old Victorian style house as she helped her mother dry the dishes, Rae frowned. He was back early. She could tell it was Zack, their father had this walk, while Zack's was more rigid and controlled- sounding like it too.

"Who is it?" Julia Dawson called and Rae had to bite her tongue to keep from saying anything, she hated keeping what they could do from their parents. Her mother was part Israeli and she had beautiful dark hair that Rae had loved to brush when she was younger- in contrast to their father Killian who had red tinted brown hair and with very quiet, fade into the background features. No one had ever been surprised to learn they were adopted but the way they acted as a family was as if they weren't.

Zack came into view and Rae smiled at him. He barely smiled back. "How was your day with your friends?" their mother asked.

"Average" Zack said with a word and Julia turned to wash another dish. At that moment, Zack used sign language. MY ROOM. NOW. Zack had insisted on them all learning it as an alternate means of communication- a silent one.

Rae frowned as Zack walked off. "Mom, I have this project due on Monday that I have to do final touches to" She hated the lie and as her mother smiled and nodded, Rae felt the usual brush of shame.

Zack looked up as she entered his room. His room was clean, ordered- apart from the posters of football teams and the one X files poster Logan had given him for last Christmas it didn't look like a seventeen year old boy's room. The X files were among the rare times Zack would watch television with Logan and enjoy it. Not that he would ever admit it was for any reason connected to fun.

"What is it?" she asked.

"We saw Vertes at Mazolli's, and she was talking to the man with the cold blue eyes from those flashes we get on occasion" Zack would never call the man what the others called him; it put fear where they should be better than it.

Rae swallowed and she felt clammy. Other girls her age were terrified of spiders, snakes, the monsters in the dark- she was afraid of the Nightmare Man. Ever since she was little, and he had terrified her. When she had made Zack and her father look under her bed years ago she had always lied about what she thought was under there after a nightmare. It was for him. She couldn't even speak and Zack was still talking, seemingly oblivious. "We just need to stay focused, we were right about Vertes… and what ever new adult enters the scene we will know to watch out for"

Slowly nodding Rae gave a weak smile and left his room. She didn't want to hear this. She went into her own room, and went straight to the closet where all her soft toys- the ones that as of the age eleven she had declared she had out grown were sitting. Rae sat in the closet and held her legs to her chest. "It's going to be okay" she whispered to herself. "It's going to be okay, now" It didn't feel okay.

* * *

Because of the school assembly first period was for the entire high school; they were all going to be in the first session class. Good thing too, because as of last night, Zack had decided they should go to school together, and going home together would be a good idea as well. One of Zack's new precautions. They needed to know where each other was at all times, something Zane thought was nuts as Zack pulled up outside the gate and Logan grabbed his bag before the maid could.

Zane smirked at this and went down the driveway with Logan, buzzing the gate open. Damn- Max and Rae already had two of the back seat and there was only one left. The other person would have to sit near the overnight paranoid, worse than usual Zack. Zane understood that the freak from the nightmares was bad, he did, but going obsessive over it was not going to help anything. What happened, happened- end of story. Or at least that was what he wanted to believe.

His older brother thought first and quickly went in the back. Zane shook his head slowly as he got into the old Miata that Zack's parents had given him months ago when they got a new car. Logan was going down. Max seemed sullen. Zack had called her just before she had told Hannah and forbid her not to. She was keeping her silence, after seeing her mother seemed to be settling in and saying how secure she felt. Guilt trip 101. Hannah would just worry and Max knew that. There was nothing her mother could do without making it look really suspicious, but it did not mean that Max was not really mad at Zack her using her feelings against her.

The atmosphere was tangible. Damn, it felt like someone was slowly taking away all the space and oxygen in the car.

Zane sat in the front seat closing the door. "Put your seatbelt on" Zack's voice seemed tighter and more controlling than usual.

"Yep" Max mockingly agreed, with barely contained sarcasm in her voice. "Wouldn't want to crash, fly through the windscreen now would you, and then when you can stand up revealing your unknown superpowers" At this Zack turned and glared.

Max in response, gave Zack a smile with vengeance in her eyes. Deciding not to turn this into what Max wanted; he ignored her and started the car back up and onto the road. Max couldn't believe how freaking arrogant Zack was…where did he get off, telling her what to do? Like he was her commanding officer or something.

She snorted to herself. In his dreams. Max looked at her classmate next to her, who staring out the window and as Max was looked down she noticed that Rae's fingers were clenched white...

* * *

"It because of the …" Zane imitated Darth Vader. "Nightmare Man" Max just looked at Logan and they shared a bored look.

Leaning against the fence of the basket ball court, Logan looked at Max. They had gotten to school where Zack had automatically gone into freak mode- looking for Vertes. Needed a life much?

And an almost psychopathically happy girl had dragged Zack's sister off the moment they had gotten there. "She's had this nightmare since forever, like all of us but for Rae its worse somehow, she never shook the bad dreams…and the idea this man is actually real must be really creepy"

Zane snickered. "Reason for Zack's bad mood… partly at least- that and he's always had this rule don't tell our folks the fact your mom knows , personally I think he likes being the leader, big bro to the masses, adults tell you what to do…"

The pebble that Max threw skidded on the ground, after hitting Zane."Don't shoot the messenger."

She smiled slightly "Has anyone ever 'enlightened' to you that you are more than just a little pathetic Zane"

"Every day and twice on Sundays" came Zane's predicted retort and then the silence seemed awkward again.

"I wonder why we all remember him" Max surprised herself speaking. "I'm mean I guess it's some whacked out memory but I mean why is he creepy I mean seriously there are scarier concepts than some older guy- like Barney the drug hopped dinosaur"

Logan shrugged. "It's just one of those things I guess-" He was surprised to find himself smiling on her verbal swipe at the much hated children's show. "Do you really need to degenerate a child's show"

Even at this Max tilted her head and then nodded slightly. "One that will come out in one of those Health awareness assemblies-crystal meth, STDs and Barney" she said all worldly. Zane snorted and began laughing loudly and a few students walking through the courts stared at them.

* * *

"Did you hear what Herbal Thought was smoking in the boys bathroom, did you here what he got suspended for, oh my god… never has there been so much hell since Anselmo got arrested for stealing the history teacher's car in middle school …" Max didn't mind the whole sitting together in assembly with whomever you wanted in this school regardless of grade. That was cool. And she didn't mind sitting with Zack's collective. She could always ignore Zack; he would make a good stone gargoyle considering he had not moved much the entire hour despite having a fan club sitting a few rows down. Listening to their worship of Zack's 'form' was amusing.

But did she have to listen to freshman Piper Cameron go on, on, and on, and on about every topic under the sun. Even the happy psychosis that Max had witnessed earlier had not warned her on this. Sneaking a look behind her shoulder, Max could tell even Piper's own friend Rae was not listening. Piper was what embodied everything bad about freshman, overactive, hyperactive… okay no, Max was a freshman herself but that girl embodied everything that can go wrong ingesting too much sugar. Did she ever stop smiling- or was she like that tour guide Barbie off that kid toy movie.

Max leaned sideways towards Zane. "Does she have an off switch?" He barely gave her a shake of his head.

But then Zane was on a cell phone, and Max overheard some girl threatening to do something rather violent with a nail gun. Logan just smiled. "And that same girl was the one that our father caught with Zane in pool the other night"

Max bit her lip to hold in her snickering response. "What happened exactly?"

"Well there were clothes involved…as in actual swimming garments so not as bad as it could have been" Logan found it amusing too, as much as he cared about his brother, not being the one told off always had a better feeling to it. "He was actually really nice to Deidre… so in Zane's book she had to go"

"And now there's the mention of a mallet" Max hadn't known, that anyone could threaten to do something like that to someone's face, and then talk about the subject of popping eyes- with a knitting needle. At least by this happening now, she had fortunate 411 that she did not have to be nice to any of his girlfriends. Max had friends in the past where it was ultimately important, when she still knew that the relationship would be over by Tuesday.

Hanging up his cell, Zane leaned back in his chair. The chairs were those wooden ones – along this old assembly/theatre hall, that had been perfectly preserved as part of the 'old, new school'. It was one improvement on city schools with their plastic chairs. "So have there been warrants issued for your arrest?" Max teased.

Zane crossed his arms and he slouched down as Logan leaned forward past Max. "And there is the moral lesson for the day, including the one to always use protection whether it is abstinence or chain mail"

Sending them both warning looks, Zane slouched further if it was possible. "You two are a regular laugh riot, Logan when you go to sleep tonight and you think you see someone standing over you with a shiny curved knife, it's not a serial killer- it's just me… your loving brother"

Logan turned to retort as Miss Clemontine moved into the front of the students she was small, petite, and blonde. Max doubted that the arts teacher could reach her own height. "Hey kids, our principal is in meetings with the school district board this week, but unfortunately I have some really sad news that can't wait until he returns"

"Last night our associate principal Mrs. Atkins passed away"

At that Logan frowned as did Zack, both sharing a look. Max frowned. "What?" she whispered looking between the pair agitated.

"Mrs. Atkins was forty five years old and a former athlete" Zack said under his breath barely moving his lips. Max just shook her head, people passed away all the time. Paranoid. Even Zane seemed dismissive judging by the way he rolled his eyes.

Everyone else showed the usual mix of feelings when you found out your associate principal had died ranging from hiding happiness to false tears.

Miss Clemontine did the little nod of the head, like a bird. "Our best wishes go out to her family- anyone wishing to send their well wishes a memorial book has been set up in the office- now more fortunately there was a replacement available for our school- now while he may never take Mrs. Atkins place in your hearts"

Some of the students snickered behind their hands and Max had to agree. "Her parents were at Woodstock right?" However Zack looked less than amused, more suspicious as if he saw something before anyone else could. It takes them a year to get a new woodwork teacher and the eighty seven year old teacher passed away after two months on his death bed.

"… anyway students" Miss Clemontine raised her arm to the side of the old stage. "I would like you to meet Mr. Donald Lydecker, the new associate principal"

The man who walked on stage was the last one Max expected, but her heart leapt into her throat- it was beating that loudly. The nightmare man was here, in 5.1 surround, better than. His cold chiseled features, his light ice blue eyes. His frame, the suit he wore seemed almost artificial because it was him.

_Lydecker. _The name felt right in Max's mind, and it felt like it fit. She looked at the others. Zack was completely rigid; his mouth set so firm she thought it was going to disappear. Logan was more composed his eyes moving rapidly, analyzing every detail as Zane used his cell to start recording.

The sound of a sharp intake, Max turned to see Rae put a hand to her mouth and stand moving through the other students. Max stood waving the drug happy friend down and went to where, the teacher was and put her arm around Rae. "She's not feeling well, can we go to the bathroom, now?" The teacher nodded quickly, seemingly afraid the other girl would throw up over her or something.

Zack winced hard, and looked at the stage where the man's eyes had seemed glued on the exchange of a high school student getting sick in assembly. And he knew something; this was the man he had been protecting against discovering this secret all these years.

"Do you have any words for the students?" Miss Clemontine asked, smiling.

"Only that I look forward to getting to know each and everyone of you" Lydecker turned to sit with the other teachers but the words had sent a chill down Logan's spine as the students started the compulsory fake clapping. Somehow the words, the intent seemed something dark and sinister.

* * *

The older bathroom was empty, a small positive in this and Max frowned as Rae moved past her and locked her self in a bathroom stall. "You aren't really going to hork are you- last time I did that was when my mom tried to put my tryptophan through soft drink so I'd like taking my meds more- I was nine but I could no longer look at lemonade"

After a moment of silence Max shook her head and went to the scratched, graphitized mirror. "Hey did you know that the janitors wash these with toilet water to discourage students from kissing it- I used to think it was this whole urban legend bull until…" she ran her cherry lip balm over her lips. "Okay, here's the deal , I'll be straight with you, you with me- I used to have nightmares about him and now just in the oh, he's creepy moving on kind of way- as in going to bed with a baseball bat"

"Do you still have them? I do"

Max sat on the bathroom sill. "I did when we saw him again, I don't know about you but I was kinda hoping he was just something I made up" she smiled slightly. "Thing I don't get is why Mr. Lydecker, I mean it's not Darth Vader or The Joker, I mean shouldn't the guy who scare us even have a first name more intimidating than Donald"

The door opened slightly and Rae looked at her, she was sitting on the floor. "As in Donald Duck?"

"Quack, quack" Max quipped, she grinned for a moment. Then it faded. "Worst part of this is my mom was never paranoid all those times she wanted us to move around- it's not just me suffering delusions… he's real and we don't know besides us why here's here; we don't even know why he wants us"

They sat in silence for a moment. "I wish my mom could know…I mean you can go home today and tell her that he's here, and she can be there for you"

Max shook her head. "No I can't, it would scare my mother to death if she knew I was in danger of any sort let alone from the whole past that she has no idea of and if we left it'd be confirming that I was different- or at the least we had something to hide"

"Apart from being different, we really don't know what we are hiding" Rae pointed out quietly.

"No, we don't" Max had a thought then, which she quashed immediately. Because it was an insane idea- how could it be anything else? She buried it and frowned staring at the wall. "Do you know any of the names on the wall?"

A small smile appeared on the other girl's face. "Not so much" Both looked up as Valerie Collins walked in a bottle in her hand, and stared at them. "Do you two mind?"

* * *

"Max!" The sound of Zack's incredibly annoying voice seemed to have a nauseating affect on her. So much for getting through the lunch line with only the mildly cancer causing cafeteria food. Max turned slightly as Zack joined her. A few people behind her muttered something about line cutting but it was casserole surprise day. No one was that eager to partake in lunch today.

Putting on a wide eyed innocent look, Max frowned. "What's wrong?" she asked with the perfect combination of sincerity and sarcasm.

"Cut it out Guevera" Zack growled. "Where is my sister hiding?"

"And what makes you think I am going to tell you" Max shook her head as she pulled a banana onto her plate, and a slice of chocolate fudge cake. She'd rather eat junk or starve than touch the cafeteria's cooking ninety percent of the time, and she forked over money as Zack got the 'surprise' dish. But then Zack did seem to possess a constitution that would digest nails and staples.

She walked to an empty table and placed her tray down, and to her disappointment Zack sat opposite her.

Max raised a hand. "Don't…" she warned, peeling the yellow fruit. "She feels bad enough without you adding to the mix"

Zack looked tired. "I care about my sister Max- I just want to make sure she's alright, just I care about the two idiots you see over there fighting over theirs tastes in girls and priorities on life" Logan and Zane were pretty loud, though the two did seem competitive. "And I care about you"

"Me?" Max frowned staring at Zack.

"The thorn in my side- yes" Zack's lips softened. Not smiling but no longer grimacing. "I don't know why but I've always felt responsible for the others, my sister and now even though I've only known you less than a few weeks you… that's why I have to be hard, even on her"

Max smirked slightly. "So Zack Dawson is more of a sap than he appears to be" It was light teasing however. "I'm attached to you guys as well… part of the reason I didn't pull out the thought that occurred to me when I was keeping your sis from a breakdown"

Some kid passed the table at that moment and they both feel silent.

"What thought?" asked Zack putting a spoonful of the grayish mixture in his mouth, and Max gave a slight grimace.

She gestured over to where Lydecker was talking to the school guidance counselor. "That maybe he's the best shot we have at finding out the truth- I don't mean ask him, I think we have bad feelings about him for a reason… but"

Zack shook his head. "He might be but we can't, Max this man embodies everything I've been worried would happen, I might not know everything but I can figure out that he is here because of us- who knows why and we have to be careful" Max frowned. "Promise that you won't do anything about this before clearing it with me first"

"Fine" Max said, and both of them eyed what was half to their mouths, Zack's sauce covered casserole spoonful, and her cake. They both shook their heads and kept the remarks they had to themselves.

Donald Lydecker stared at the students. Somewhere among them was one or more of his X5s. He could feel it. If this was in a city, there would be thousands of possibilities, instead it there were mere hundreds. One could wonder Dr. Sandeman's plan, painstakingly hiding each one and putting them somewhere that would stand out. But up close it was nothing short of brilliance, small towns were overlooked constantly.

"They're all good kids-"Both students and teachers alike, only knew the tall dark man by 'Bling'. He was a good counselor- going above and beyond whenever he had to. "Most of them have known each other their entire lives"

Lydecker regarded him "Most of them?"

"Well Miss Guevera is new, her mother works at the local hospital in pediatrics… small town like this everybody knows everybody- and is very close, you'll really like it here" The girl was irrelevant, for one she had just come here, and the intel he had gotten came from before her arrival. But all passages of information had to be explored. "She is fitting in well – not all kids from the city do"

He held much more interest for the young man she was talking to. Or the teenagers behind them, any one of them could be what he was looking for, for so long.

* * *

Zane rummaged through his locker, it had to be somewhere. A black display notebook fell out and he seized on it. He opened it up, and stared at the print out on the new associate principal. Lydecker had been famillar in more ways than one. A few years ago, while looking for some damn picture for the 'half ass' project he planned to turn in he had found a picture of Donald Lydecker- he had never found anything else. Like all the traces of the man were buried.

There was a single article describing a military tour and how the man had saved his unit, a real page turner. A real American hero, whatever that was supposed to mean. He hadn't meant to hide it but he had known it would upset everyone and Zack would have dug a lot into this. Probably would have made things worse. Not that it wasn't going to get that way.

The other reason he didn't say a word was because sometimes he could here this drone in his mind, like something he had heard from a long time ago, military concepts – loyalty, teamwork and sacrifice among other real gems. It unnerved him. No one else could remember that- Zack and Logan were the oldest, they had nada, zip, zero – and those two who had to be just waiting for Dr. Phil to discover them, spilling everything. In the margins of the black notebook was everything he saw and felt within these flashbacks.

Zane had no intention of turning into some whiner and spilling about his bad dreams. What kind of guy did that one? The geeks they gave swirlies to- that's who. But he needed them down somewhere or he would go crazy. And the book was an outlet, strictly business. It was not that sappy poetry book that Zane had found last year- that he had been horrified to just find out that Logan wrote poetry.

"Cale" Zane turned; his material never seemed to work on Asha Barlowe. He put the book away and closed his locker putting on a false smile disguising his grimace.

"Asha, shouldn't you be a pep rally or something?"

Asha crossed her arms. "And isn't there some teacher you should be getting a little extra credit work with under the desk" Cheerleader, school paper reporter and constantly in trouble with the principal and school board for one article or another. Asha may be with the in crowd, pick on how people dressed and things like that but when it came to serious issues Asha was all about truth and making things right. That and her father was the local sheriff.

She had this weird code that no one questioned less- the paper was just her way of getting her message out there. Asha had not lived here more than two years but it was easy to tell she craved action that she believed Chesterfield was lacking, unlike New York.

"You rise easy" Zane said as he pulled on his padlock. "What's up Asha, no kitties to save?"

Asha flashed her teeth. How come from a cheerleader that always seemed vaguely threatening? "Did you sit through the assembly from hell … I did- god I think Zack Dawson is an arrogant jack and I don't like listening to the commentary about him- looks only go so far and unlike most students who made some nasty comment or, false sympathy and then I hear him insinuate something smart that our esteemed late associate principal didn't just happen to die of mysterious causes"

"Oh- you do know that both he and Logan watch the X Files don't you" Zane smirked. "Hate to break it but Zack 'jack' that he is – watches the same show that the math geeks watch-oh no, I hope I haven't ruined his 'cool status'."

She looked annoyed now. And that was as in really ticked off. "Something isn't right and it looks like the A team and the new member seem to have some inkling of what that is- then again I could always go to the new associate principal and ask him all about it- then ask him why you all seemed to recognize him the second he stepped on that stage"

Zane pushed Asha against the locker his hand an inch away from her face. "You don't know what you are talking about Asha- but I was always told to respect those with, mental conditions"

Asha leaned closed, "I happened to not be stupid like most of our classmates" she whispered in his ear. "My dad may think that it's as innocent as it seems –I don't, so I'm going to get to the bottom of this"

"Why, to get another article to get you into, what is it Columbia, Yale?" Zane shook his head. "Man, how early do you have to start being a journalist without a heart?"

"Because she had a nine month old baby, who is never going to know his mommy- but I guess with your mommy dearest issues you wouldn't know how to grow a heart" Asha moved around him and walked past out of sight. Stopping just short of slamming his fist into the wall, Zane looked up into the ceiling. After a long few moments cooling down, Zane was left with but one question.

Now how was he going to fix this one?

_

* * *

_

_To be continued…_

* * *

Next chapter we skate close to being screwed, Zane will be forced to help Asha's crusade to stop her going to Lydecker and also keep the truth from the others. Meanwhile Logan's drunken ex girlfriend returns after her latest suspension with quite the issue against Max.


	3. Skin Deep

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel.

Anyway, lately I've has some pretty serious re-arranging in my life, which has actually motivated me in terms of writing. And found the perfect analogy for how I feel about Dark Angel's cancellation in Buffy with whole heaven thing. For a few short years we were given this amazing brilliant, story. Then it was taken away, by the network that screened it. Sometimes you think, hey, it would have been better never to love something that much- but then I'd rather get yanked out of the perfect place then to have never known Dark Angel. Yes I'm obsessed. And I'm sorry for the late update.

But on the plus side this now has an arc and has gone from high chance of being dropped to being finished.

* * *

Chapter 3

Skin Deep

* * *

"You know the whole point of sunshine is to enjoy it, not to spend the whole time glued to that" Logan smiled, trying not to actually grin.

Yes when he had originally proposed coming to this school organized picnic- yes the word was picnic, it had been a break from all the crazy hell that the four days prior that the mysterious new associate principal had brought.

The timing of it Friday, the day that everyone loved almost as much as Saturday and Sunday. Mr. Lydecker's absence was just the icing on the cake.

Max put her hands to her hips. "You going to answer me Logan or do I need to take you and your little friend to the pretty little creek?"

Logan closed this screen. 'I'm sorry Max, I'm just trying to find anything I can on 'him'" Despite wishing to save his notebook from being wrecked, it was the truth. Logan was determined to discover anything and everything that he could on Lydecker, Donald. And the actual lack of information cropping up was just all the more the challenge.

"Defying Zack's orders?" Max ruffled his hair slightly. "Good boy" Some things actually seemed to be settling down. Some things at least. Valerie was sending her a glare and talking to her friends, laughing. If Max really cared, she could listen to the latest, really racist insults.

She was relatively new, how could she earn the dislike of a girl she first met stumbling into a bathroom. Especially a drunken one who should barely be able to remember that Max went to Chesterfield High let alone her name. But there she was, glaring. Max just shook her head and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. _So that's where I put it_.

Zack came over, and sat on the table. "Logan, would you mind telling your ex girlfriend to get a new hobby" he sounded pleasant, but that came of running around on a field with other guys doing the ritualistic, grunting and running around. For some one so serious it could be surprising for the uniformed that he did like the sport but then Max had been gifted enough to hear his lecture on the sport. And by gifted she meant bored half to death.

How it involved strategy, tactical awareness and broken down into something that sound more like a military maneuver which would change the face of the country than a sport that most high school boys did for girls. To get them, chalk them up in that conquest bad way. Max highly doubted Zack even thought with that part of his brain. Logan was staring at Valerie and she looked at him.

Max leaned on her elbow. "So who broke up with who?" she asked, half heartedly trying to get Logan to spill. He merely turned away slightly- stone faced. This topic was like trying to make a freak who believed a scooter was a bike understand how messed up they were. Either way any talk about old relationships which involved Logan shutting up quick, and a sure fire way to kill a conversation.

She groaned frustrated, where was someone interesting to talk to- where was Zane- over by an old oak talking to Asha Barlowe. Did he ever quit trying to cross names off the 'have I done her yet' list?

* * *

Regarding him, Asha frowned. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that" she said with a hint of a smirk. Zane decided that he would not be unhappy if a piano fell from the sky and squished the cheerleader.

It had seemed to go pretty pain free, in exchange for her not going to Mr. Lydecker about them who he knew that Asha had not wanted to go to in the beginning- he would help her investigate Associate Principal Atkin's death and anything she did would not name him or the others.

Zane gritted his teeth. "_Thank _you Asha, I deeply appreciate the favor you are doing me and I am thrilled to do so"

It's was like she was out to get him, sure his shirt had 'Nuke the Planet till it Glows!!!' but that was funny. Girls were wound too tight- take his surrogate 'sisters'- they seemed easy going then you say the wrong thing and you were dead before you heard them shriek.

Smirk widening, Asha nodded. "Now that wasn't so hard"

_Asha Barlowe is a demon escaped from Hell to torment me. _Zane rested his hands behind his head. "This is your game Asha; I'm just the source you are dragging around"

Asha seemed to be resisting the urge to say something cutting but she managed to keep her mouth shut. Smart move in Zane's mind. "Well first off would be the school records which would show where Lydecker came from. I believe the school will be empty in a few hours…"

"Are you insane or just stupid?" Zane asked, mock seriously. "I mean it's breaking and entering- and that's illegal"

Pushing her braid back, Asha just looked at him dubiously. "I wouldn't think that mattered to you -you were the one who broke into the local swimming pool and put that chemical that made the swim team all purple and blotchy"

Zane wagged his eyebrows. "They never proved it was me"

"Can you stop screwing around or do you need to be brought to task every five seconds like a dog?" Asha questioned scathingly and she took a moment to compose herself. "As I said, no one's going to be in there this afternoon, we hide in the supply closet until everyone's gone- so that's our window... are you in or not?"

Looking at her, Zane's blue eyes were deadly serious despite the light tone on his face." For illegal and possibly mayhem filled fun- hell you don't have to beg Barlowe- it makes you look easy" No matter how forced this had been- Zane planned to get as many red faced expressions- such as the one filling the blonde cheerleader's face at that moment, as he could.

_Wicked._

* * *

Max hated being at school after it was over- for anything. But she needed a teacher to sign off on changing a class- so that's where she was. She stuffed the permission slip in the back of her pocket and passed Zane and Asha the former, who then pretended not see her.

Glaring, Max returned the snub. What was it with guys and ignoring you when they had a girl on their arm?

She walked into the office to check for Mr. Vansen. The teacher was deep in conversation with the guidance counselor. The teacher took the note and signed it quickly. They were talking about some fundraiser for the Arts department.

She was quick to shove the signed note in her pocket- good bye home economics and hello auto shop. Max was pleased with herself, and to make it even better there was no sign of the associate principal.

Max could see Valerie walking down the hall, and stepped away to avoid her.

"It seems like I should be doing that" Max could tell Valerie was sober, by her tone. It was high strung and biting- and she could actually focus on one place. "I mean you are the ethnic percentage" Max hated that- whenever anybody talked down to her like just because she was Hispanic meant that she was something ugly in the scenery.

She kept going.

Valerie was not taking the hint, and kept following her. "I mean we've all seen your mother- I mean she must have been on something to sleep with whoever your daddy was"

She stopped. Max could take any insult, day or night – but when it came to her mother… no one insulted Hannah and got away with it. "How would you know about fathers or mothers?" Max said, rounding on the alcoholic redheaded teenager. "You are just a stuck up, self absorbed drunk whose parents will be just happy if she finishes the ninth grade…and by the way I hope they promised you a new nose if you actually manage not to drown in your own vomit"

Valerie looked furious and raised a hand and Max caught it. "Don't push your luck"

"Guevera, Collins!" Just her luck, associate principal Lydecker was walking down the hall with Rafer trailing. Rafer had green paint on his pants- the exact type that had been graffited across the flagpole. "Do we have a problem?"

Max gave an icy look at Valerie. "No sir, Valerie was just expressing her love for the school's multicultural community"

Lydecker didn't seem to buy it but Rafer started muttering something about how he fixed the flag which seemed to draw a cold ire. "As you were" he said and continued to move towards the head office. Max found it weird how Mr. Lydecker acted like he was out of the army or something.

"Keep away from Logan…" Valerie spat.

Max had 'we aren't even like that' on her tongue- and then she smirked. "But we're so cute together" she mocked.

That sent the other teenager fuming. Max was just counting her blessings that Mr. Lydecker had not been just coming around a few moments later because that really was all that had saved Valerie from being black and blue. But really, all this over a guy? Valerie need priorities…besides Max would never go out with Logan. Sure, he was cute in that intellectual type of way. But he was like her- which meant it would be like sleeping with her brother…just because she and Logan didn't look alike did not mean anything. Blood wise, they didn't have something that made them siblings. They had the whole deep rooted connection… and it just was a shame.

Right at this moment Max really needed to talk to her mother.

* * *

Zack had gotten Max's message and had come straight over. That and his sister was currently engaged in some type of DVD marathon with a friend. All Zack knew was if he heard one more tone deaf rendition of 'It's the Best of Both worlds' he was going to do something unpleasant. Max's house was a simple one story house that had used to belong to Buddy Thompson. He knocked once on the door. He hated doorbells. They were nauseating and he had deliberately damaged the one at his house just so he didn't have to listen to it. Zack wasn't very tolerant when it came to a lot of things. But it wasn't him… it was everything else.

The door opened and Hannah, Max's mother gave a disarming smile. "Come in"

"Where's Max… please?" Zack didn't need it getting back to his parents that he was being rude- as far as his dad was concerned- the day camp last spring break had worked.

Hannah closed the door. "Taking a bath, I'm the one who had her page you… please sit down …did you want something to drink?"

Zack shook his head and sat down at the closest end of the pine table. He didn't like the sound of this. "No…alright then… can you tell me why you asked my daughter to lie to me about Donald Lydecker?"

Zack knew from prior experience it was better to be straight with an adult rather than try to sugar coat it once it got that far.

"Because it seemed necessary" Zack was feeling uncomfortable under Hannah's stare.

"I've ran into your parents a few times… they said you were quite the leader" Hannah set down her cup of tea and looked at Zack. "Donald Lydecker is a very dangerous man… and you no matter how special you think you are- you're a seventeen year old boy… I am not going to ask why you have never said anything to your parents… but I'm here now and as an adult-"

Zack looked obstinately at the lacquered pine. "You are in the loop…"

Hannah smiled. "I am the loop… Zack, the parents are the ones who protect their children not the other way. This isn't saying you are not immensely capable… but you're a child and you should be grateful for that everyday… you have no idea what Donald Lydecker would do to you…"

Frowning, Zack looked up. "How much do you know ….about us?"

"Too much" Hannah said, "And I will do anything to shield Max… all of you from that- you never deserve to have that knowledge…" She looked at Zack and what she saw… Hannah never saw what people like the associate principal saw. Instead she saw the teenager- who was trying to grow up faster. Who may play the part of a leader- but he was little more than an older, protective brother. Not a soldier, a commanding officer. But a young man who was capable of asking for help.

* * *

Whistling, Zane used his credit card to jimmy the cheap lock. It was better than watching the cheerleader go through a lunchbox that had too many keys that she shouldn't have. "Open"

Asha rolled her eyes and walked forward to the filing cabinets.

Zane walked to the desk, and sat in the chair. He tossed Asha his cell phone. "Come on… take a picture for me…" He leaned forward and picked up a pair of glasses, sitting them on the bridge of his nose.

She groaned "Only if you stop going on about how I want to jump you" Asha took it quickly and then started to go through her key collection.

"Excellent" The picture- would make a great addition to his collection, and would be his own little victory of the night. Still the prize of his collection of picture moments would have to be the one of Zack- with drool on the side of his mouth. Zane was saving that for a very rainy day. This was more for fun. Zane opened the drawers as Asha started to go through the records.

The insides of the drawers were – too neat. It was like someone really OCD had organized them and unlike Rae and her obsessions with post it notes - this wasn't even funny.

Zane picked up the stapled sheets of paper and folder that had sat alone in the bottom drawer. It was a complete list of the students in the school, by age. And the folder was even more bizarre- it was empty apart from a list of numbers. There were exactly twenty four sets of numbers on the list… all proceeded by 'X5'- some of the numbers sort of followed each other… and there was also a column for gender, and age. He put it back… it was all nonsense. Besides if it was something- Zane could pull it up in his mind any time he wanted. "I got nothing…"

Asha held up a report. "I have something, now why would our esteemed associate principal have a copy of the coroner's report for Ms Atkins?"

Zane shrugged and walked over, reading over her shoulder. "Heart failure… from what?"

"An overdose" Asha frowned and went to the copier, slipping the page in.

"No way" Zane said, shaking his head. "She busted down on anybody she thought was on an energy drink… Atkins wouldn't do cocaine…"

The copier light illuminated Asha's face, reflected in her eyes. "My dad says they found evidence of usage… all this bull about post partum depression- there's no way it was true you saw her… this is a cover up… but I'm…"

Zane looked at her. "Going to drop it- Barlowe, if this guy is good enough to do this kind of cover up…then he's too dangerous to go after directly, besides we tell what we found here to the parentals…"

"And they ask what we were doing here" Asha crossed her arms. "Damn…"

"You aren't going to tell-"

Asha shook her head. "Never was going to… I'm not sure what's up with you and your little friend circle- but telling a potential killer… too far, I just needed a witness- in case I found my smoking gun"

He leaned over and was almost disappointed when he noticed no barcode. Asha was cool, in a way. "You aren't smelling my neck, are you?"

Zane wagged his eyebrows and closed his eyes. "You use the good stuff in your hair" And that made twenty seven red faces. As well as a bruise that would last a few hours. Asha could hit hard for a girl that wasn't Max or Rae.

* * *

He hated knowing that Hannah was right. Zack was glad that at least she hadn't hit the real truth. The fact was he wanted his parents to know- and Zack's confidence went down whenever he thought over their possible reactions. He was the strong one, and he never wanted his parents to look at him differently.

Zack walked in the door, and hung his jacket up. There were no sounds of tone deaf freshman- so he assumed that his little sister was already in bed. In the rec room, his father looked up from watching a CSI rerun. "If they ask…" Killian Dawson whispered, bring Zack into the conspiracy, "The DVD is misplaced"

"I told you not to get her that movie" Zack smirked and he picked up the case. "I can misplace it" he said seriously.

Killian nodded and Zack sat opposite him. "Don't, you know your mother gets annoyed when things go missing"

Zack threw his dirty socks at his father. "I spared you from Titanic… don't tell me its absence for two months was not welcome Dad"

His father threw them back and Zack caught them, feeling the tension leave. He loved his life- in truth… Zack had a place where he belonged and he would fight to keep it against any attack. It might make him weak but it was a weakness that Zack could live with having.

_

* * *

_

_To Be Continued…_

* * *

Before anyone asks- imagine a Zack who never had to guard against sentimentality- who didn't have enough training to make him as emotionally cut off as the adult we saw in DA… hopefully I got it right- while still feeling like him.

Okay… please review… even if it is to yell at me for being a very lazy author. I have reformed…I think.


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